Saxophone Lessons in Cambria Heights, NY

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet

For young beginners on wind instruments, I really focus on getting a good sound out of the instrument first. Then, I have them learn simple songs by ear to strengthen their relationship with the instrument. At the same time, I will teach them how to read music if necessary. I like to use the Rubank or the Sound Innovations band method books to start with. For my piano students, I go over posture and hand position first, in addition to the basics of the keyboard and fingerings for scales. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute

My approach to teaching can be different based on the age and level of the student. In general I like to keep the pressure off my students and above all find ways to make learning fun and enjoyable. My ideal lesson is one that the student will remember, whether it's a concept we talk about or a song that we learn. I try and teach my students more than how to play notes on a page and to learn songs, but how to discover and tackle projects themselves that otherwise might seem too big a challenge. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet

I like to focus on giving the student a strong foundation and helping to foster creativity and a lifelong love for music. This means a lot of focus on technique and understanding musical principles as well as exploring different types of music and pushing creative boundaries! Read More

Instruments: Piano Voice Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Clarinet Organ Piccolo Oboe Bassoon Keyboard

I am fortunate to have met, associated and studied with, performed and recorded with some of the greatest musical minds of the innovators of traditional modern jazz, and also a few of the eternally legendary classical musicians. I have two degrees in music but more important is the gift that I have been given to know these amazing people in my life. I've received three National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Fellowships to pursue music in the direction of my choice. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet Recorder Music Keyboard

Over the course of many years, I've developed a method for beginning piano and woodwind students which yields excellent results. For the first series of lessons, I want the student to become comfortable in understanding the keyboard or the wind instrument, avoiding the secondary interface of sight reading. There are about twenty short, simple, basic songs I have the student master. At this point, not only are we working on understand the harmonic and melodic "hardware" of the keyboard or horn, but we are developing proper technique in terms of hand position, posture and sound as well as a natural rhythmic feel. Read More

Instruments: Saxophone

My primary focus is to make sure that each student is enjoying each lesson and builds a passion for the saxophone. I make sure that each student has a goal set in mind so that we can mold each lesson to further that goal. I encourage outside listening in order to better understand all the different styles of music that exists as well as getting in to the actual history of the saxophone itself. Read More

Instruments: Piano Saxophone Flute Clarinet

I first ask the student to play so I can hear him/her. After a student plays a short piece of music of their own choosing I can determine what the next step is. Each student has his/her own individual needs. In general though I focus on 3 key elements: 1) Sound quality 2) Technical dexterity (how the fingers deal with the twists and turns of the instrument) 3) Reading Music If a student has a specific genre of music that he/she wants to focus on then I mainly concentrate on that. Read More